Automatic firearm with two cartridge magazines



Dec. 9, 1930. r.y HERLACH ET Al. 1,784,355

AUTOMATIC FIREARM WITH TWO-CARTRIDGE MAGAZINES F'iled June 4, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Bgy'wz/ Patented Dec. 9, 1930 y UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE FRITZ HERLACH AND THEODOB BAKULA, OF DUSSELDORF, GERMANY,ASSIGNORS T BHEINISCHE METALLWAAREN- UND MASCHINENFABRIK, OFDUSSELDORF-DEBEN- y DORE, GERMANY AUTOMATIC FIREARM WITH TWO CARTRIDGEMAGAZINES Application led June 4, 1929, Serial No. 868,396, and inGermany January 31, 1929.

The invention consists in improvements in or modifications of theinvention described in Patent No. 1,709,399, in which two magazines forcartridges are provided and in which after one magazine has been emptiedon firing and ejected, the second is automatically switched into theposition for continuing the feeding of the cartridges.

The object of the present invention is, on

the one hand to make the weapon adapted for using the ordinarymagazines, in which, in known manner, the foremost cartridge is held bythe inwardly bent lips of the open end of the magazine and is seized bythe parts of the breech at the commencement of their forward movementandV taken by them in Vthe shortest path into the barrel. Also,.according to the invention, the insertion of the filled magazine into theweapon is facilitated and is relieved from the energy necessary forejecting the emptied magazine.

The invention enables these results to be obtained by the constructionof the automatic device for changing over the magazines and the relativearrangement of the two maga# zines inserted in the magazine holder. Forthat purpose the foremost cartridge of the magazine whichA is at thattime feeding the cartridges, lies within the range of movement of partsof the weapon introducing the cartridge into the barrel, while thesecond magazine is in a preparatory position, from which, after theautomatic ejection of the first magazine when emptied, it isautomatically brought into the feeding position by a suitable shiftapparatus. y

Preferably, the two magazines are arranged relatively to one another ina V formation, radially to the axis of the bore of the barrel. Theenergy for ejecting an emptied magazine and for bringing the secondfilled magazine from its preparatory position is provided by the kineticenergy (in the rearward or forward direction) of the parts of the weaponmoved on firing. The parts effecting the alternate insertion and removalof the two magazines are connected by a device set in motion by theenergy imparted on firing to a change over coupling which is controlledin dependence on the condition of the cartridges of the magazine whichis at that time in the feeding position. A,

The accompanying drawings represent an example of a constructionaccording to the invention as applied to an automatic firearm with arecoiling barrel. 4

1 Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the magazine chamber.

Figures 2 to 6 represent different cross-sections through the magazinechamber in which;

Figure 2, is a cross-section on the line Figure 3 is a cross-section onthe line I section on the line E-E of The magazine chambers The magazinechamber c is arranged laterally on the casing b of the weapon whichserves as a guide for the barrel and the breech sleeve a connected withit; the chamber c is divided into two parts co, c1 each of whichreceives a magazine al and which are arranged in V formation relativelyto one another and are radial to the bore of the barrel. Pocket shapedmembers c2 (Figure 2) are provided on a longitudinal wall of eachchamber en, c1 for the free movement of projections of the magazine. Thechambers co, c1 terminate in a common inlet openinga1 of the breechsleeve a. The length of this opening a1 is such that it extends duringthe whole recoil of the barrel over the magazine chamber and themagazines can project in their forward operating positions with theirlips retaining the cartridge into the opening al without obstructing themovement of the barrel.- A wedge-shaped member e4 (Figure 2) is disposedin the space, closed externally by a walLes, between the two chamberse0, c1 and serves for guiding the magazines and for containing themeansfor locking the magazines.l The casing e of the chamber contains atits rear portion e5 (Figure l) a locking device for the breech and theapparatus controlling the alternate change over of the magazines. Acontinuation ce of the casing contains the ejector apparatus and theapparatus for effecting the change over movements of the magazinesrinitiated by the movement of the breech sleeve a.

The magazine and its locking device in the magazine chamber projectsthrough a slot d5 of the wall of the magazine, is displaced forward oncharging the cartridges into the magazine pocket e2 and after theejection of the last cartridge from the magazine unlocks the emptiedmagazine which was previously locked by a lever e. Two lugs de, Z7(Figure 3) are arranged one over the other on the small sides of each ofthe magazine chambers and co-operate, for

' he purpose of alternately changing over the two magazines, .withtwo-armed cam levers f, f1 on a spindle fo (Figure 1) disposed betweenthe chambers e0, al parallel to the axis of the bore of the weapon. Thelugs d, are set back so far from the lugs d6 ofthe cam levers f, f1 thatwhen, for example, one maga- 'zine is advanced into the firing position,that 1s, w1th its foremost cartridge in the path of the breech piece,the second magazine with lug d? can be displaced past the catch f3 ofthe cam lever f until its broad lug d, engages with the catch f8.

In this preparatory position in which the open end of the magazine stilllies outside the breech-sleeve a, it is prevented from fallingl out bythe two art locking lever e, es (Figure 2). The locling lever has twoprojections e2, e1 extending into the path of a magazine lug d8 (Figure2) the projections are adapted to be swung together out of the lockingpositionagainst the resistance of a spring by pressure from the side ofthe magazine on the projection e1 and by pressure meeste` on the lockinglever e. A magazine is held in the above-mentioned preparatory position4by the engagement of the magazine lug d8 behind the projection e2;when'a magazine is pushed forwardinto the firing position, its lug d8 issupporte/d by the second projection el. The unlockin of a magazine inthe firing position is e ected by the lug di of the feeding device d5which, after the last cartridge has beenpushed forward out of the.magazine lips for retaining the cartridges,

is pushed under the lug e1 and raises the lever e, e3.

The change over of a filled magazine from the preparatory position intothat for feeding a cartridge into the firing position in the barrel iseffected automatically by means-of the shaft fo (Figure 3) bydisplacement towards the breech sleeve, while at the same time theemptied magazine, unlocked by the lug d4, is moved away.

The levers f, f1 are switched over by the recoil movement of the breechsleeve a. A lever g1, keyed on the shaft go in the casing 0. is guidedin a suitably curved groove, not shown, of the breech sleeve a which onthe movements of the barrel imparts to the lever g1 a pendulous@oscillation which is transmitted as partial rotations in oppositedirections to the shaft go. This movement is temporarily transmitted tothe shaft fo in.

order to change over the magazines by means of change couplings,described more 'fully later, which are controlled in dependence onl thecondition ofthe cartridges of the magazine which is at' that time in thefeeding position.' A lever g2 secured on the front end of the shaft g0(Figure) has a slot ga at right angles to the shaft go, in which slot atwo-'armed lever g4 is` mounted so as to oscillate about a pin g5 atright angles to iio the shaft g0. The lever f1 on the rear end Y of theshaft fo carries at its front side two symmetrically arrangedprojections f2 on the shaft fo, of which one always, according to theposition imparted to the lever g4, lies in :the range of oscillation of'this lever oscillating in a vertical plane by the rotation of' the shaftgo. The shaft f., consequently're-` ceives a singleangular rotationinthe one or other direction, whileD/the furtherv oscil lations of thelever g4, until it is changed l over, have no effect on the shaft fo.

The change over of the leverg, is eected I' in dependence on theposition of the lug d4 of the magazine which at that time is in thefeeding position when the lug di has attained its most forward position,which occurs after Athe last cartridge has been pushed past the lips ofthe magazine. The

.mated by rods h, or h.

. pin k2 on the shaft go. To one arm of the lever h3 is linked the rodha (projecting from one magazine) and to the second arm the rod h1(extending from the second magazine). 0n the arms of thelever h3 arearranged, parallel to the pin h2, pin-formed projections h., which ypassthrough corresponding recesses of the casin c5 and lie in contact withthe two arms o the lever g4. When the lever ha is actuated by the lugd., of a magazine, the lever gg is angularly displaced so as to lie inthe range of the lever f1 which up to that time was free from the twoprojections f2, whereupon the shaft fo is actuated b the rotation. ofthe shaft go. Thereby, t e emptied magazine, which at the same timehasbeen unlocked by the lug d4, is ejected and the second magazine isbrought into the feeding position, so that its foremost cartridge liesin thepath of the forward moving breech members.

A catch bolt z' (Figure 4) is mounted -in ,the casing c5 and in knownmanner serves for holding the breech piece in its rearward position.This bolt, according to the in'- vention, is connected with the twomagazines so that it is only brought into the locking .position afterboth magazines have been emptied orremoved from the feeding sition; thatis, after the last cartridge' has en fired from the magazine at thattime in the weapon it catches the recoiling breech and retains it untileither a magazine provided with cartridges is inserted in the feedingposition or the catch has been removed by and. For'this purpose, twodouble armed levers 0, 1 en age, for example, in a recess of the springolt il, a projection i2 of one lever i0 projecting into the path of a luof the ma azine introduced into the le t magazine c amber (Figure 4),while a projection 3 of the second lever il engages similarly in theright magazine chamber. When a magazine in one of the two chambers is tobe brought into the feeding position, by the engagement of a lug withthelever o or il, it rotates the latter, so that the catch bolt 'iismovedout of the path of the breech piece. If there is no magazine inthe feeding position, the catch bolt i is automatically inserted in thelocking position. Figures 7 to 9 illustrate a modified construction ofthe magazine changing device.

The rear end of the shaft yfo carrying the members for ejecting themagazineis coupled by toothed segments f4 with a shaft f, on which twolevers g1, g2 are loosel mounted. These are folded tp'ether `in t eclosed osition like scissor-bl by an' interme- .a torsion spring, whichnot shown, (and two coupling sleeves Z0 Z1 the shaft f3.

`tion. The breech are spread apart against the action of the` spring bythe swinging outwards of one or both levers. A cam k tapered towards therear end of the breech. sleeve a co-operates with the levers g1, g2, thecam 7c being inserted on the recoil of the barrel between the levers soas to open them against the resistance of the torsion spring.` Thelevers` g1, g2 carry on their hubs dogs which canbe con nectedalternatively by co-operating dogs to rlgidly connected together by arod Z2. YThe sleeves lo, Z1 are axially displaceable. but not rotatableon the rectangular sides of the shaft f3; they alternately couple thelevers g1 or g2 with the shaft )2,y and therewith also with the shaftfo. The change over of the sleeve Z0 for altering the direction ofrotation of the shaft fo and for exchanging the magazines is effected independence on the condition of the cartridges of the magazine at thattime in the charging position, in a manner similar to that of theapparatus shown in Figure 6, by a rod ho, h1, m, m1 (Figures f.) and 8),which engages in a groove Za of the couplingZo Z1. A magazine emptied bythe discharge of its cartridges controls by means of its lugs d., the

couplings lo, Z1. On .the recoil of the barrel after the last cartridgehas been red, the lever. (for example g2) then coupled with the shaftmains in its outwardly displaced position,`

while the second lever g1 as the firing is continued simply executesunder the action of the breech sleeve cam k idle oscillations onAfterithe feeding magazine has been emptied, the'coupling Z0, Z1 isautomati call changed over for ejecting the empty and again feedinga-charged magazine.y

Action of the weapon The weapon isassum'ed to be not charged and thebreech is held fast by the catch bolt 'i (Figure 1) in its rearposition. Two charged magazines are inserted in the empty magazinechambers of the weapornthe one in the feeding position, the second inthe preparator position; both are then secured against fa ing out orunauthorize'dmovement by the locking device e1,ve2 (Figure 2). Themagazine in the feedin position has on insertion, by contact with t eprojections i2 .or s (Figure 4), moved the device z' for lockingthe-'breech out of the locking posiece in its forward movement takeswith 1t the foremost cartridge into its position in the barrel; theweapon is then ready for firing. 1-

On actuating the trigger switches over the coupling between the shaft foand its operating mechanism. The shaft fo is now rotated, the emptyunlocked magazine is ejected and the lfull magazine is brought, from thepreparatory into the feeding position.' The c ange over process iscompleted by the action of the cartridges of the now emptied magazine,so that the iiring of the cartridges of the second magazine is proceededwith without interruption. rlhis process is repeated so long as a newmagazine can be inserted instead of the one which is ejected.

l claim:

1. An automatic firearm having at least two Amagazine chambers and acartridge so magazine ada ted for insertion in each chamber; means orlocking one of said magaz ines in cartridge-feeding position; and meansfor securing the other magazine out of feeding position; means forunlocking the magazine from which the cartridges have been fired; andmeans responsive to the action of said unlocking means for ejecting saidmagazine and for automatically shiftg the other magazine into feedingposition.

2. An automatic firearm comprisinga recoiling barrel and a breech sleevemovable therewith, and having at least two magazine chambers; acartridge magazine adapted for insertion in each chamber; a cartridgefeeder for each magazine and means for actuating the feeder; means forlocking one of said magazines in cartridge-feeding position, and meansfor securing the other magazine out of feeding position; means for unlocking the magazine from which the car'- tridges have been fired; andmeans initiated by the action of the unlocking means and actuated by thebreech sleeve on recoil movement of the barrel for ejecting the magazinefrom which the cartridges have been fired and automatically shifting theother magazine into feeding position.

3. An automatic firearm having at least two magazine chambers and acartridge magazine adapted for insertion in each chamber; a cartridgefeeder for each magazine and means for actuating the feeder; for l-'oneof said magazines in eartrif -.---..2= and means for securing the othermagazine out of feeding position; means carried by the,I said feeder andoperative on completion o f the cartridgefeeding operation to unlock themagazine from feeding position; means for ejecting said magazine whenempty; and means simultaneously operable with said last-named means forautomatically shifting the other magazine into feeding position.

4:. An automatic firearm comprising a recoiling barrel and a breechsleeve movable therewith, and having atleast two magazine chambers; acartridge magazine adapted for insertion in each chamber; a cartridgefeed er for each magazine and means for actuating the feeder; means forlocking one of said magazines in cartridge-feeding position, and meansfor securing. the other magazine out of feeding position; means forejecting the magazine. from which the cartridges have been fired; andmeans 'responsive to the movement initiatedvby the vbreech sleeve on therecoil of the barrel to automatically shift the other magazine int'o'feeding posif tion.

5. An automatic firearm havin'gva barrel and comprising atleast twomagazine chamy bers; cartridge magazines adapted for .insertion in eachchamber; means for securing one of said magazines -in cartridge-feedingposition', and means forsecuring the other magazine out offeedingposition in their respective chambers, said chambers being disposed atan angle relative to one another and adapted to retain the saidmagazines in V-formation relative to one 'another and ico radially totheaxis of the bore of the barrel.

6. An automatic firearmv having a barrel and comprising at least twomagazine cham'- bers; cartrid e magazines adapted for in-v sertion ineac chamber; means'for securing one of said magazines in cartridgefeeding position, and means for securing the other` magazine out offeeding position; and means disposed between said chambers adapted tospace and 'de said magazineatanacute angle relatlve to one another andradially to the axis of the bore ofthe barrel. g

7 An automatic firearm comprising a casf ing and having a recoilingbarrel mounted for reciprocating movement in said casing; a breechsleeve carried by the' barrel; at least two magazine chambers mounted onthe casing, and a cartridge magazine adapted for insertion in eachchamber; means for eef ejecting the empty magazine; va pair of doublearmed levers mounted for rocking movement between the magazine'chambers,and means on each magazine to selectively actuate said levers; and abolt mounted in the Vcasing for locking and unlocking the breech sleeve,said bolt being actuated by either lever to automatically lock thebreech sleeve in rearward position when the magazines are both out offeeding position. s

In testimony whereof we have axed our signatures.

FRITZ HERLACH. THEODOR RAKULA.

